OBJECT The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist on esophageal and gastric smooth muscle reactivity in a rat hydrocephalus model. MATERIAL AND METHODS Hydrocephalus was induced in rats by injection of kaolin into the cisterna magna. Two weeks after the procedure, memantine (20 mg/kg per day, 2 weeks) was given to rats with hydro...

PURPOSE The aim of the study was to investigate the gastric smooth muscle reactivity in the Adriamycin-induced esophageal atresia (EA) rat model. METHODS The fetuses were divided into 3 groups. The control group was exposed to saline. The second group was comprised of fetuses that were exposed to Adriamycin but did not have EA (Adriamycin-no-EA group). The third group was comprised of fetuses...

Hypertension is a major risk factor for many common chronic diseases, such as heart failure, myocardial infarction, stroke, vascular dementia, and chronic kidney disease. Pathophysiological mechanisms contributing to the development of hypertension include increased vascular resistance, determined in large part by reduced vascular diameter due to increased vascular contraction and arterial remo...

VANHOUTTE, PAUL M., AND JOHN T. SHEPHERD. Effect qf temperature on reactivity of isolated cutaneous veins of the dog. Am. J. Physiol. 218(l): 187-190. 1970.-Excised segments of dogs’ saphenous veins were perfused, with autologous blood or Krebs-Ringer solution, at constant flow. Changes in driving pressure were used to measure venomotor responses. The reactivity of the veins to electric stimula...

AIMS To evaluate the role of nitric oxide, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and natriuretic peptide receptor-B activation in C-type natriuretic peptide-anti-contractile effect on Phenylephrine-induced contraction in aorta isolated from septic rats. METHODS AND RESULTS Cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) surgery was used to induce sepsis in male rats. Vascular reactivity was conducted in rat aorta...

Purpose. This study was designed to investigate the action of amitriptyline, a tricyclic antidepressant, on airway smooth muscle reactivity and its underlying mechanisms. Methods. In isolated rat trachea, isometric force was recorded to examine the effects of amitriptyline on contractile response to acetylcholine (ACh), electrical field stimulation (EFS), calyculin A (myosin light chain phospha...

The purpose of the present study was to test the hypothesis that gender influences exercise training-induced adaptations of vascular reactivity of porcine arteries that provide blood flow to skeletal muscle and femoral and brachial arteries. Male and female Yucatan miniature swine were exercise trained on a motor-driven treadmill or cage confined for 16-20 wk. Contractile responses of arterial ...

The phosphoinositol-phospholipase C (PLC) family of enzymes consists of a number of isoforms, each of which has different cellular functions. PLCγ1 is primarily linked to tyrosine kinase transduction pathways, whereas PLCδ1 has been associated with a number of regulatory proteins, including those controlling the cell cycle. Recent studies have shown a central role of PLC in cell organisation an...

Calcium ions (Ca2+) trigger the contraction of vascular myocytes and the level of free intracellular Ca2+ within the myocyte is precisely regulated by sequestration and extrusion mechanisms. Extensive evidence indicates that a defect in the regulation of intracellular Ca2+ plays a role in the augmented vascular reactivity characteristic of clinical and experimental hypertension. For example, ar...